Beauty and the Beast
by Hermione2567
Summary: Cursed was the prince to become a monster and his life filled with hatred. He must learn to love and be loved in return. (AU) HHr
1. Half Man, Half Beast

Beauty and The Beast  
  
(A/N: Hello and welcome to the first chapter of Beauty and the Beast. I'll be taking it a little differently than the true Beauty and the Beast. I thought it'd come out perfectly with the characters of Harry Potter and I do hope my imagery in the characters show you who they are supposed to be. Please leave a review as I'd greatly appreciate any comments or suggestions you all might have. Completely AU as I'm a total fan of AU fan fictions with my favourite pairings of course!! By the way if you know of any GOOD AU fics with H/Hr pairing please say so in the review and tell me the author/link/story. Where to find it etc, I'm a great fan and I might've read the one you're suggesting by now but I don't know that do I?)  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters of Harry Potter nor do I own the true story line of Beauty and the Beast.  


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Chapter 1: Half man- Half Beast  
  
In the woodlands of France lived many lords and these lords had castles and vast amount of land. The count was the most powerful of these lords in the county. The count in this land was Sir James Lombardy Potter the III married to Liliana Elyzabethean Evans the II. They had one son, Prince Harry James Lombardy Potter the IV. His childhood was very much like all the other children had but he was quite resentful to all and selfish as he kept to himself.  
  
On the day of his 13th birthday an enchantress had placed a test on him which would determine his fate unbeknownst to him. He was taking his usual solitary stroll in the woods when he came upon a young fawn caught in a trappers mechanism.  
  
The fawn made all sorts of noises but the young prince walked on undeterred. He then came upon a young boy about his age crying with a little girl. Apparently the young boy and the little girl had lost they're way home and were trying to find they're way back. When they asked him for a bit of food for they were hungry, he merely sneered at them and walked away still unfazed as they shouted at him from the distance.  
  
Last but not least the enchantress appeared to him herself in the form of a beggar dressed in rags bearing a single rose. She appeared to him at the gates of the castle as he was passing by. She told him that she would very much appreciate a place to stay for the night and exchange for this she would give him a rose. However the Prince sneered at the gift and told her to be gone. However at that moment the beggar had changed into her true form, the beautiful enchantress.  
  
She said to the prince, "I have seen what lies within your heart and there is nothing but coldness. Because of your selfish heart, you shall be cursed for eternity to live in the form of a monster when the sun sets each day for the rest of your life."  
  
The young prince pleaded with her, "Please. Please have mercy on me. Forgive me."  
  
But it was too late. However his mother had seen what had happened and came to the seen and pleaded with the enchantress. "Please my son may be cold but please do not do this."  
  
The enchantress looked at his mother and saw only true love in her heart, for her son. But as for her son, he had no heart.  
  
"Please have a heart.", the enchantress heard from the mother with tears in her eyes.  
  
"I have seen your love for your child and I praise you, daughter of Elyzabethean. Your son shall remain cursed. Every day at sunset he will have to lurk in the shadows fearing the fear others will have of him when they see his truest form. However unless he can learn to love and be loved in return by his 21st birthday, the curse shall remain for eternity." The enchantress disappeared then handing them the rose saying one final thing, "This rose will begin to wilt once the time has come for you to take your curse into eternity. It's your choice after all. Find a way to love and be loved in return before the rose wilts and you shall be returned to your true being but fail and you shall remain...a beast."  
  
The mother took her son back to the castle as it was nearing sunset and gave servants orders to send a message to her husband to come, however found that they too had a mysterious transformation and was not able to have her message delivered and thus remained in secrecy.  
  
They kept him at sunset in the west wing where he practically went on a rampage. Everything was torn, portraits, chairs, tapestries...everything. He kept the rose here as well, as it reminded of what he must do before it wilts.  
  
His mother died when he was 17. His mother's last words were: "Uplift the curse and love someone as you have loved me. I'll always be with you....Remember that..." and she had passed.  
  
He was kept hidden after sunset for almost all his life as was the rest of the castle after his father's departure to England when 18 leaving him the castle and the servants. His father never knew what had happened to his son.  
  
His features were quite peculiar. Black unruly hair that he never let the servants comb, not that it helped at all. Underneath his curls, one could see his piercing green eyes that were sure to captivate any man or woman. He remained like this most of his life. His pale complexion was replaced by the days he spent in the woods and outside.  
  
Soon no visitors came to the castle and no one dare come near as in the night some feared of the creature lurking in the forests, the piercing green eyes of the half man, half beast.

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(A/N) That is the beginning and leave a review. I'm taking this a different way so you may enjoy it. Did I mention it'll be H/Hr...;) Oops! 


	2. Much More Than This

Hello all! It's Kris. This chapter will basically involve the introduction of Hermione with a different scene I made that fits perfectly in my mind. Thank you so much for your reviews. Here are my responses.  
  
VBspikergirl9: Thank! Thanks for the memo! lol I changed this chap...enjoy!  
  
Creepy Susie: Thanks!  
  
Rachel A. Prongs: Lion king was definetly the best!  
  
Avestia: just did..  
  
shdurrani: Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any thing! Boo hoo  
  
Quiet and peaceful was the village and the feeling of a start of a new day hung in the air. This day of predictability was about to begin, with all those residents living out their conventional lives. Never was there a day where the ritual of the morning was different. Never was there a person who decided to wander out into the waters of unpredictability. Except a young girl named...Hermione.  
  
One by one the whole village awoke starting living their provincial lives. Gathering food, selling, buying and taking care of children, was the ordinary day-to-day life for these people.  
  
The village had a history where magic was considered unlawful. Magic was forgotten and was not taught unless by old professors and by reading in books. They had gone back to their old muggle ways and forgot magic. However there were a select few that remained from the era of magic however but soon they are dying off as they cannot perform their charms and produce their potions that support their health. Magic was going to become extinct, for nowhere in the whole of France was magic taught. All wands were only to be used by their sole owner or by blood relations. A daughter or son of a witch or wizard could only use a wand. The punishment was death for those who intended to keep up this practice.  
  
Hermione walked through the crowds of the village towards a stone building with a pillar positioned beside the door with a board on it. School of Diggory: A School To Educate The Men, rising leaders, of our community. She practically flung open the door nostrils flaring and her nose met the smell of pungent smoke. She glanced in the direction of the corridor, which was crowded with candles, towards the main room where voices were coming from.  
  
She made her way into what was a classroom filled with desks and took her seat at the front. She saw that there were many men in there, staring at her bravado. Whisperings started and all the young laughed.  
  
"What are you doing here Hermione, this is the boy's school...it's not for girls."  
  
The master had come in now. "Why aren't all of you in your seats!" he snapped and soon all the men had taken their seats. "Now yes, where are my glasses." He was an old man about 50 and had a beard that ruffled when he chortled at his own silly little jokes. "Here we are..." he chuckled and turned to the class. "Get out your sheet of parchment and begin with this question: Who was Hippocrates?"  
  
Everyone began writing for the next hour and a half. Hermione had written over 2 feet in parchment. She was getting very odd looks from the men but she could care less. She walked up to the master when it was time hand in the essay and gave it to him, unwavering.  
  
The master eyed her curiously for a second than went into the hallway bringing in Master Alucuin, who happened to be the most feared of the teachers.  
  
"WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU MISS GRANGER ABOUT COMING IN MY CLASS."  
  
"You told me that I was to never come in your class, but you never cared to specify that I should not come at all." The class of young men sniggered as the young girl outsmarted their own teacher.  
  
"Silence!" he bellowed at them.  
  
"With all do respect sir; I came in here for what all these other men came in here for. I want to learn." Hermione said to him.  
  
"Get out..." he had turned his back to her and muttered this.  
  
"But ...sir..." she started.  
  
"I SAID GET OUT!" he bellowed at her as he turned around and faced her.  
  
She ran out of the building, eyes pricked with tears. As she was about to exit she wiped her eyes and put on a cool expression and grabbed her book out of her bag and walked out of the building.  
  
This angered her so much that women were not able to receive the same education as men had in her time. Of course they offered the basics until the age of twelve where girls were taken by their mothers and taught...to knit. Hermione shivered at the thought. This was not fair at all.  
  
Meanwhile a handsome young man stood outside with his rifle in his hand as he swiftly shot a duck about 40 feet in the air. Not a bead of sweat lay on his cool expression face. Being the most prized of the young men and hunters group, he walked over to his follower who bagged the duck as it fell on the ground.  
  
"Wow Draco! You didn't miss a single one, you're the greatest hunter in the world that has ever existed!" he exalted.  
  
Instead of taking this humbly the young Draco Malfoy took it with great conceit. "I know."  
  
"Every girl in the village would want you as their husband! None stand a chance of resisting you! Every guy wants to be you!"  
  
"It's true Goyle and I for the matter've got my eyes set on that pretty one." he said pointing at the girl emerging from the school rather unladylike.  
  
"Hermione?!" Goyle said surprised.  
  
"Yes, she's the lucky girl that I'm going to woo and marry." he replied proudly.  
  
"But she's..." Goyle started.  
  
"The most beautiful girl in town..." Draco finished off dreamily.  
  
"I know but..." Goyle tried lamely.  
  
"That makes her the best," Draco snarled snapping out of his reverie. "And don't I deserve the best?"  
  
"Well of course! I mean you do, but..." Goyle started again but was interrupted on the love-stricken ramblings of his friend.  
  
The Patil twins were watching rather closely as they were smitten by the handsome Malfoy. "Look there he goes. Isn't he dreamy? Monsieur Malfoy! Oh he's so cute. Be still my heart. I'm hardly breathing. He's such a tall, dark, strong and handsome brute!" they said standing at the water pump fainting. (A/N from beauty and the beast. I had to put it in there. )  
  
Draco began to follow Hermione after he decided he was going to speak to her today and perhaps taking her to his gallery. He walked right behind her, so close he could smell her hair. Lost in her scent he didn't know he followed her right into a closing door.  
  
"Oy!" he bellowed as he stared at the door of the library. "Blasted door." He then watched Hermione through the window. He watched as she talked to Madam Pince and took a book from a shelf.  
  
"Draco I don't know. But she's not really that pretty. What do you see in her? She reads of all things!"  
  
Before Draco could retaliate Hermione was already coming out of the library and he quickly shoved Goyle in a near by watering can. He heard her speak.  
  
"Thank you so much!" Hermione said and she bid farewell to Madam Pince. When she turned around she found herself facing Sir Draco Malfoy. She tried to walk by him but he wouldn't let her go and ended up dropping her book in the mud. When she tried to pick it up, he stepped on it and picked it up.  
  
"Why hello Hermione!"  
  
"Hello Draco..."  
  
"How can you read this...there are no pictures," he muttered, fumbling through the pages of the book.  
  
"Some people can learn to imagine things..." Hermione retorted taking the book and wiping the mud off it.  
  
"Hermione the whole town is talking. It's not right for a woman to read. She starts getting ideas and thinking...There are more important things to think about...like me." He ended puffing out his chest proudly.  
  
"You are by far the most conceited little..." Hermione started but was cut off.  
  
"What do you say you come and see my collection of..." Draco suggested taking her arm in his.  
  
"No thanks Draco, I have to go see Sir Weasley," she said walking off.  
  
"What that crazy pathetic form of a peasant?" Goyle guffawed finally emerging from the tank of rainwater.  
  
"Don't you ever talk about Arthur Weasley that way!" Hermione said angered for a moment and then she turned her heel and head for the Burrow.  
  
The thing that she wanted to go to the Weasleys for was the fact that it was her 18th birthday and that had a remarkable significance.  
  
She had found when she was eight years old, Mr. Weasley using a rod like object and made things levitate and appear. She was not so common visitor at that time since her parents were still alive, but she did not want to think about that. She asked Mr. Weasley if he could teach her that and what he was doing, was it real...? She was given the response that if she told no one, Mr. Weasley himself would teach her magic on her 18th birthday.  
  
She sighed and found herself at the gate of the Weasley property, The Burrow.  
  
Leave a review! This came out earlier than expected J Hope you liked! 


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